Spain-headed forest and energy major Ence Energía y Celulosa S.A (Ence) has announced that the President of the Board of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, has officially opened Ence's new 50 MW Puertollano biomass power plant in the town of La Mancha. The event was attended f the Mayor of Puertollano, Isabel Rodríguez García, as well as the President of the company, Ignacio Colmenares and Honorary President, Juan Luis Arregui.
In his address, Emiliano García-Page stressed that “we are facing a project that is committed to the revitalization of a city that has been industrial capital and has been especially linked to the energy sector. With its implementation, employment is created and the trauma that constituted the closure of Elcogás for this municipality is restored ”.
He also stressed that “the profitability of clean energy and the circular use of natural resources, such as that of this project, is enormous, and in Castilla-La Mancha we must take advantage of it.”
Ignacio Colmenares noted that the project “constitutes an example of a contribution to the just energy transition thanks to the acquisition of Ence in 2017 of the site of the former Elcogás thermal power plant, for the construction of this new renewable biomass generation plant. A project that is in line with the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 and that has allowed us to maintain quality industrial employment, which contributes to the revitalization of the economy of the area and that favors the decarbonization of our energy system.”
The event was also attended by the Minister of Economy, Business and Employment, Patricia Franco Jiménez, the Minister of Sustainable Development, José Luis Escudero Palomo, and the President of the Diputación de Ciudad Real, José Manuel Caballero Serrano.
An example of just energy transition
According to Ence, the new 50 MW biomass generation plant is a clear example of a just energy transition, contributing very positively to the environment and stands out for its high generation of direct, indirect, and induced employment – about 27 jobs per installed MW.
It will consume around 238 000 tonnes per annum of biomass, among which is pomace, vine shoots and cuttings, olive leaf, and woody forest and agricultural residues. All of this biomass will comply with the Decalogue of Ence for the Sustainability of Biomass as a Fuel, an initiative launched by Ence to guarantee its commitment to sustainability in the use of biomass and the care of the environment.
In addition, the activity of the Puertollano plant will allow a strong reduction in the uncontrolled burning of agricultural stubble – which has a high environmental impact -, while contributing to the maintenance of more than 1 300 direct, indirect and indirect jobs. induced, most of them in rural areas. These jobs will be added to the 500 direct jobs generated by the plant during its construction.
Ence says that it has invested around EUR 100 million in its new plant that has the Best Available Technologies (BAT) to guarantee permanent respect for the environment and the highest levels of energy efficiency in such an installation.
